India Court Rejects Gay Marriage Pleas, Leaves To Parliament

Activists urge Indian Government to recognize rights under Special Marriages Act

The Supreme Court of India declined to legalize same-sex marriage, leaving the decision to the country's parliament. The court decision followed the stance of the Bharatiya Janata Party government, which opposed petitions for the recognition of same-sex marriage.
The government has agreed to form a committee to address the concerns of same-sex couples, including legal protection and financial rights. The remit of this committee does not include deliberations on same-sex marriage as it requires consensus amongst all religious groups.
Indian LGBTQ activists express frustration at the prolonged process and the lack of legal support for simple rights such as medical consent, pensions, adoption, and even club memberships for couples.
The Indian government received opposition from activists for not considering their demand to amend India’s Special Marriages Act for the inclusion of same-sex marriage. They called for recognition of the term “spouse” as gender-neutral and equal benefits as heterosexual couples.
The U.S. State Department has stated its concern and is closely monitoring India's next steps. It encourages the Indian government to provide equal legal protection to same-sex couples, emphasizing the importance of marriage equality globally.